Movie Reviews

Red, White & Royal Blue  – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Red, White & Royal Blue.

Story

I haven’t read the book that this is based off of, but unlike a lot of literary adaptations, I didn’t feel like I was missing too much. There were a few aspects that felt rushed, the trip to Texas and the initial series of incidents that transition from enemies to lovers.

That being said, the important parts, the romance, longing looks, and establishing camerawork were all done at a pace that made you feel for the characters.

Although I appreciated the low homophobia content, it was a little jarring with the level of angst from the characters.

The main love story is done well, but nothing in it is particularly original.

Score: 0.5

Characters

There is so much charisma in this movie that it practically floods out of the screen. The mains are not only attractive, but clever and have an endearing charm. Most of the secondary characters are equally as charming and those that aren’t, are still interesting.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The line, “He grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between rugby and football,” will live rent free in my head for a long time. It’s the perfect summation of the style of dialogue which favours heart and quip above sap or forced misunderstandings. Something a lot of romantic comedies could learn from.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The cinematography and camera work was artistically above almost every movie I’ve seen in recent memory. The visuals managed to convey location, emotion, and movement all while painting the main characters as likable.

The music was good and did its job setting the mood and the feel of each location.

Score: 1

Fun

This movie was extremely enjoyable. I watched it with my wife, after the kids were in bed. That was a good plan since there’s way too much swearing, smoking, and alcohol for my liking. It’s the only thing that dampened my enjoyment of the film.

We both had a lot of fun and she spent a good amount of time afterward looking at gif sets on tumblr.

Score: 0.5

Overall

One of the most beautiful and stylistic movies I’ve seen, and one of the most entertaining romantic comedies in a long time. This will make you smile and make you happy. It is not for kids however, due to the large quantity of alcohol consumption, smoking, and swearing.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Aurora Awards Event

by

Hello!

The Aurora Awards are being presented this Saturday! (Tomorrow!)

It will be live streamed on both YouTube and Facebook on August 19th starting at 7pm EDT (5pm MDT, and 4pm PDT). Here are the links:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FlRl0g279U

Facebook: The 2023 Aurora Awards | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/2014114358935372)

Here is the itinerary for the evening:

– Opening Segment

– Territorial Acknowledgement

– Introductory Bits about this year’s Celebration

– The Hall of Fame inductees

– The Awards

  1. Fan Related Work
  2. Fan Writing and Publications
  3. Cover Art
  4. Related Work
  5. Poem/Song
  6. Graphic Novel/Comic
  7. Short Story
  8. Novelette/Novella
  9. YA Novel
  10. Novel

A reminder for the categories in which we have been nominated:

  • 2. Fan Writing and Publications (both Jen for Travelling TARDIS and Éric for Movie Reviews)
  • 4. Related Work (Jen’s short story is included in Nothing Without Us Too)

No matter who wins, we are very honoured to have been nominated and we appreciate your support immensely. I hope you enjoyed reading all the books!

Jen and Éric

Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie.

Note: I watched the English dub and have been a long time fan of the TV show.

Story

This was a simplified version of the show’s story with minor changes to make it fit in a movie format. Best to think of it as a alternate reality from the show if you’re a fan.

The descriptions and explanations seem fairly straightforward for those who don’t know the show.

The story, however, was very reductive and about the same as any other teen superhero story.

It did flow well and end well so I’ll give it credit for that.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The characters were fun but unfortunately fairly shallow. Marinette was well developed and definitely the star, but Adrien was underdeveloped and bland.

The secondary characters felt underused and I’m not sure a casual audience would care about them.

The changes to Marinette and Gabriel were effective in making the story more believable.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was quippy and funny, showing that despite the changes, the writers and actors were comfortable with the characters.

There are a few deep lines and what dialogue there is it’s well used.

I feel like the movie could have used more dialogue and less singing.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie was colourful, well animated, and pretty. The action was engaging and often well balanced with humour.

The music was lovely, although the transition from voice actor to singing voice was a little jarring with Marinette and Adrien.

Music, like action scenes, should be developing character and plot in a way that can’t be done otherwise. The songs need to be catchy and do all that. The song were catchy, but only did minor developments. The time could have been better used to develop the characters with dialogue.

Score: 0.5

Fun

We’ve now watched all four seasons available in Canada and we warned the kids in advance that this was a different story. They’ve seen enough Cinderella versions to get that idea. There were a few moments where they would ask why the characters weren’t doing what they would do in the show, but overall they seemed to love it. Lots of giggles in the opening scene with the gargoyle.

The adults enjoyed it as well. This was fun and low angst.

Score: 1

Overall

A fun movie which suffers from watering down the world for a new audience and trying to force the story into a standard superhero format. Despite being an easy watch, its secondary characters are as forgettable as the songs.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5

Kiki’s Delivery Service – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 1989 film Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Story

We bought a newer blu-ray of the movie which means I think this is the third version I’ve watched. I originally had seen the American dub where Jiji is able to talk at the end of the movie, and then I’d seen the subtitled version which was quite different. The newest version with dubs is a good mix of the two and is more faithful to the original concept.

The story is simple, calm, and very relatable.

Score: 1

Characters

Kiki is young and unsure of herself and honestly, I feel that. I would not have felt comfortable leaving home at 13. The characters she meets along the way are borderline cliche but the movie might have been the source of some. From the stoic but big hearted baker to the friendly old woman and the deep artist. They are fun and sympathetic.

Score: 1

Dialogue

I assumed the weird laughing was a cultural thing but I didn’t notice it in any other Japan’s media. A lot of the laughter is at Kiki being young and innocent and it’s a little jarring.

I like my sarcastic black cats as much as the next guy, but I found Jiji a little annoying.

I did like the ridiculously awkward flirting and the deep but understandable advice from the painter.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The visuals were stunning as usual and the movement of the characters was spot on. It was a little funny to see the sketch of the crows and Kiki being more detailed than the art in the film.

The music was great. I remembered some jarring sounds and weird music, but either it was removed or I imagined it.

Score: 1

Fun

This was fairly relaxing, there are a few moments where I expected worse but overall it’s a lot of fun. The kids loved this one as did the adults.

Score: 1

Overall

A wonderful movie with a poignant message. Growing up is hard but worth it.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Ponyo – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2008 film Ponyo.

Story

A fascinating take on the little mermaid story. It’s interesting how love is treated as deep affection instead of romance.

Score: 1

Characters

The characters are adorable and I love how the movements of the 5 year olds are so realistic.

Score: 1

Dialogue

It’s hard to judge the dialogue since there’s technically two sets. The translated text which was the subtitles and the actual spoken dialogue. We watched this on streaming so we couldn’t choose the proper subtitles.

Both versions were interesting, but I think the spoken dialogue was simplified for western audiences.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The film was stunning and utterly beautiful.

The music was awesome.

Score: 1

Fun

I have this weird instinct with Miyazaki movies that make me stress out the whole first watching. Other than Princess Mononoke, there’s no reason for that worry.

Beyond that it was really fun.

Score: 1

Overall

A beautiful and fun retelling of The Little Mermaid story. It’s filled with all the charm, humour, and amazing art that’s expected of a Miyazaki film.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Aurora Voting Ends this Saturday (July 29th)

by

Hello friends, family, and fans!

Voting ends on July 29th (this Saturday)

Thanks to all who nominated. You really made a difference.

In case you missed it, the Voters package is available for download! Make sure you’re logged in!

The four categories in which Jen, Éric, and family are nominated:

  • Category 2 – Best YA Novel
    • Black Hole Radio – Ka’Azula by Ann Birdgenaw
  • Category 7 – Best Related Work
    • Nothing Without Us Too by Cait Gordon and Talia C. Johnson (Jen has a short story Semper Ubi Sub Ubi in this one!)
  • Category 9 – Best Fan Writing/Publication (these will not be included in the voters package, as they are available online)

Something to remember this time around; order matters. In order to concentrate our voting power, Éric and I have agreed to focus on The Travelling TARDIS, as it is more well-known in the community. Therefore, please vote for it first, and the JenEric Movie Reviews second.

Voting is June 17 – July 29, 2023. We’ll write a reminder post before it ends. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Thank you all so much for your time, attention, and support. It means the world to us!

JenEric

Ice Princess – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2005 film Ice Princess.

Story

There’s literally nothing original in this script. This is the teen sports/theatre/music storyline that you can see in every other teen drama. Down to the line, “It’s not my dream, [parent], It’s yours.”

Score: 0

Characters

The main character is adorably nerdy and most of the rest of the cast fit perfectly into their roles. The cast take a pedestrian script and do a great job of elevating it with excellent acting. Kudos to Michelle Trachtenberg for learning to skate that well in 10 months.

The mother’s character made me really ANGRY, Joan Cusack does a fantastic job, but the character makes no sense. She’s supposed to be a feminist, granola, pro-education type of mom. However, her comments about the outfits setting women back fifty years are ridiculous and no feminist literature professor would say that. (This comment made me pause and rant about the purpose of the miniskirt from a feminist historical point of view. Sorry family.)

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was cute and the nerd flirting was painfully accurate.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie was very well shot. It’s 2005 so they used hand held cameras more than they should, I never got the appeal, it doesn’t enhance the drama.

The music was unmemorable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

Both kids didn’t want to watch it and by ten minutes in were glued to the screen. It’s a feel good movie. Despite the mother, I did enjoy it and despite my lectures, so did the rest of the family.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a comfort movie. It’s the kind of movie you turn on and you know how it’ll end, and probably everything that leads to it. The acting is wonderful, the nerdiness is great, the skating cameos are fun, and despite some poor character choices, it’s enjoyable.

Final Score: 2.5 Stars out of 5

Kim Possible – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2019 film Kim Possible.

Story

Kim Possible isn’t and hasn’t ever been a spy but the stories follow all the spy tropes with a few superhero ones thrown in. The movie does a great job of being faithful to the spirit of the original while updating it to modern audiences. (It’s shocking how much changed between 2007 and 2019.)

The story is mostly nostalgic for older audiences and the story is quite simple. Perfect spy/superhero intro for kids. There is some cartoony ridiculousness that is a little annoying but overall good.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Kim is great and it was nice to see her going through the awkwardness of change.

Ron was portrayed perfectly, one of those super awkward kids with a giant heart. I always cringe at Ron to start and then he quickly becomes my favourite character.

The villains are wonderfully portrayed with the perfect level of overacting.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue is cheesy and irreverent. Lots of good lines but I found the mixture of mid 2000’s slang and late 2010’s a little weird. Hearing Lit and Fam followed by Booya, felt wrong.

The scene between Kim and her Grandmother was one of the best training dialogues I’ve heard.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The action sequences are very Disney Channel but overall they did a great job with the visuals and the music was acceptable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

The kids loved it. The adults, who watched the original in university also loved it.

It was fun and struck a great balance.

As an adult it was nice to see the kids and family talking instead of hiding things.

Score: 1

Overall

Cheesy, fun, and angst free. The story might be a little young and cartoony but they commit and there are some genius scenes.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Nimona – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Nimona.

Story

The movie took a lot of traditional fantasy story elements and moved them around or flipped them upside down. It meant that everything felt familiar but was still suprising.

The not-so-subtle message of inclusiveness and not treating others like monsters is painfully current and needed.

Score: 1

Characters

I was so happy to see the queer relationships in this. It was a relief not to just have it hinted at. The characters were all very well fleshed out and distinct. Despite being in a massive city, the cast is actually quite small which gives us that personal time with the characters while keeping the feel of a rich world.

I liked Nimona’s chaos gremlin energy and was a huge fan of Ballister’s unyielding goodness.

Score: 1

Dialogue

There were a lot of quippy lines, lots of good jokes, but also lots of well used emotional words. The characters don’t outright answer every question, but they also don’t completely dodge every question and that leads to some excellent character moments and developement.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

I found some of the animation almost underdone and other parts absolutely gorgeous. It was probably the style of animation that threw me. Beyond the animation was the astounding use of colour, lighting, camera angles, and world design.

Score: 1

Fun

As a creator, you want to make your audience feel something and this movie delivers an emotional rollercoaster that felt personal while still being fun.

The entire family was glued to the screen.

Score: 1

Overall

This was a fantastic movie with great diversity and impressive writting. If you enjoy animation, science fiction, fantasy, or good stories; please watch it.

Final Score: 5 Stars out of 5*

*A 5 star review doesn’t mean the movie was perfect nor that it is perfect for everyone but it is a movie I believe is as close to perfect as possible.

Bandslam – JenEric Movie Review

by

How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2009 film Bandslam.

Story

Beat for beat the same basic story as so many other teen movies. (Could overlap 90% of the plot with Sky High.)

Is is exactly what it says on the tin, a battle of the bands movie. It’s a great formula, but not original or clever.

Score: 0

Characters

Where the story loses points for originality, the characters, and actors, make up for it. They are much better developed then most movies of the same time. The kids and the setting feel real.

Bonus points for not having a full love triangle and not making the surprise twist a “she was the villain the whole time” twist.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue is pretentious, but in the way that teens feel about pretention and not an adults forced shallow concept. They talk about music and make real points that is part of the story and character instead of window dressing. There’s an odd honesty to the dialogue that makes it feel real despite trying too hard.

There are also plenty of pithy and funny lines.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

There’s a gritty 1990’s grunge scene camera style that I really like. Mostly it’s a little washed out, but certain colours are extra vivid. It’s a memorable effect that reminds me of old grunge and punk music videos.

The original songs are fun and the overall soundtrack is filled with some great music. I’d love the soundtrack.

Score: 1

Fun

There were the usual angsty/cringy moments where the main dude does the dumb thing, but in this it’s him following his passion not his dick. Doesn’t make it any easier to watch, but the ending and the music make it well worth while.

Score: 0.5

Overall

An essential film in the cannon of the “Battle of the Bands” genre. It’s smart and sweet with fantastic characters, but suffers from a formulaic plot and too much angst.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5